Background & Objectives: Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods of lifetime and married life and sexuality may bring about numerous physical and psychological changes. Lack of attention to sexual matters during pregnancy may cause sexual dysfunction in each of couples. The aim of this study was identifying male sexual behavior and its relevant factors during the partner’s pregnancy.

 Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study in which 350 men, whose wives were pregnant, were selected in two stratified stages. The instrument for data collection was Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale- male questionnaire. All data were analyzed by SPSS11.5. Descriptive information was used for describing the frequencies and also the x2 test was used for determining relation ship among variables.

 Results: The findings revealed that 21.3% of men in the first trimester, 19.3 in the second and 28.3 in the third trimester had sexual dysfunction. In each trimester, inability to reach orgasm was the most common sexual dysfunction in men. Frequency of vaginal coitus decreased in 64.9% of men and in 46.6 % of them fear from risk for fetus health during vaginal coitus was the essential reason for this reduction. There were significant differences between sexual dysfunction and fear from risk for fetus health and guilt feeling of sexual activity. Therefore decreased vaginal coitus caused sexual dysfunction.

  Conclusion: As men’s knowledge and attitudes about sexuality affect their sexual behavior during pregnancy it is crucial to provide proper consultation regarding sexual relations in prenatal care services.

Background & objectives: According to importance of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in production of different cell lines, transplantation of these cells are used for treatment of many different diseases during cell therapy. Viability and proliferation of these cells after transplantation are very important. Since infertility is as public health problem in men and women, the scientists attempt to produce germ cells from differentiation of stem cells. It is supposed to use these cells for treatment of different illnesses especially for men with lack of germ cells in testes in future. However, in using stem cells for cell therapy the culture medium should be designed to increase the number of cells and efficiency of transplantation and to guarantee the health of the cells in terms of DNA damage. This study designed a suitable culture medium in order to increase the number of colonies and decrease the cell injuries.

Methods: In this study mesenchymal stem cells isolated from bone marrow of mice and exposed to retinoic acid (RA) with concentration of 10^-6 M and Sertoli cells condition medium. Since mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) produce fibroblastic colonies so the number of colonies was counted every 3 days after culture (days of 2, 5, 8, 11, and 15) under inverted microscope. The staining of ethidium bromide-acridine orange was also done for determination of apoptotic nucleus in days of 10 and 15 after culture.

Results: The results showed that the effects of retinoic acid on grow and viability of MSCs is related to the time. It seems that RA increased the proliferation of the cells and the number of colonies increased in low time but the apoptotic cells elevated with increasing the time of culture. Condition medium of Sertoli cells also increased the proliferation of bone marrow stem cells.

Conclusion: According to proliferative properties of condition medium, it seems that using condition medium together with RA is better than RA alone for differentiation of MSCs to germ cells.